Guru Nanak is regarded as the founder of Sikhism, the first in the line of ten Sikh Gurus. Within the Sikh tradition, his role is understood not merely as that of an originator of a new path, but as the one who articulated and embodied its foundational vision. His life and teachings form the bedrock upon which later Gurus elaborated the spiritual and ethical dimensions of the faith. To speak of Sikhism’s beginnings is therefore to speak of Guru Nanak’s insight into the nature of the Divine and the human response to it.

Central to Guru Nanak’s message is devotion to one God, often expressed in the Sikh tradition as the affirmation of a single, ultimate reality. This devotion is not confined to ritual or belief alone, but is meant to suffuse every aspect of life. From this flows the emphasis on service to humanity, understood as a natural expression of genuine devotion. Service, or seva, becomes a way of honoring the Divine present in all beings, linking spiritual realization with concrete acts of compassion and justice.

Guru Nanak’s teachings also highlight the unity and equality of all people, regardless of social or religious distinctions. By stressing that all stand equally before the one God, his message challenges hierarchies that divide human beings from one another. This vision invites adherents to see spiritual practice and ethical responsibility as inseparable. Thus, the founding of Sikhism through Guru Nanak can be seen as the emergence of a path where remembrance of the Divine and service to others are woven together into a single, integrated way of life.